Danish Crown Regalia are the symbols of the

Danish monarchy The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Kingdom of Denmark was alr ...

. They consist of three crowns, a Sceptre (symbolizing supreme authority), Globus cruciger (an orb symbolizing the earthly realm surmounted by a cross), the Sword of state and an

Ampulla An ampulla (; ) was, in Ancient Rome, a small round vessel, usually made of glass and with two handles, used for sacred purposes. The word is used of these in archaeology, and of later flasks, often handle-less and much flatter, for holy water or ...

(symbolizing anointing of monarchs). The

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...

Royal Regalia Regalia is a Latin plurale tantum word that has different definitions. In one rare definition, it refers to the exclusive privileges of a sovereign. The word originally referred to the elaborate formal dress and dress accessories of a sovereign ...

are kept in the treasury at Rosenborg Castle. The oldest of these is

Christian III Christian III (12 August 1503 – 1 January 1559) reigned as King of Denmark from 1534 and King of Norway from 1537 until his death in 1559. During his reign, Christian formed close ties between the church and the crown. He established ...

's sword of state from 1551. They further include King

Christian IV Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years, 330 days is the longest of Danish monarchs and Scandinavian mona ...

's diamond; pearl- and gold-embroidered saddles; objects carved from ivory and rock-crystal; lapidary pieces of precious stones, and

brooch A brooch (, also ) is a decorative jewelry item designed to be attached to garments, often to fasten them together. It is usually made of metal, often silver or gold or some other material. Brooches are frequently decorated with enamel or with g ...

es in the form of fantastic animals. During the time of the elective monarchs, the clergy and nobility placed the crown on the king's head at the coronation ceremony. After the introduction of absolutism in 1660, the crowning of the king was replaced by

anointment Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body. By extension, the term is also applied to related acts of sprinkling, dousing, or smearing a person or object with any perfumed oil, milk, butter, or ot ...

, for which the king arrived in the church wearing the crown and was consecrated to his calling by being anointed with oil. For the anointing of

Christian V Christian V (15 April 1646 25 August 1699) was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 until his death in 1699. Well-regarded by the common people, he was the first king anointed at Frederiksborg Castle chapel as absolute monarch since the decree ...

, a new crown was made along with the Throne Chair of Denmark of narwhal teeth (supposedly the mythical

unicorn The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. In European literature and art, the unicorn has for the last thousand years o ...

's horn) and three silver lions, the latter created by

Ferdinand Küblich Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...

(1664-1687). This was inspired by the biblical description of King Solomon's throne, which was said to be composed of unicorn's horn and gold and guarded by twelve golden lions. With the 1849 Constitution, anointing was discontinued and since then the regalia have only been used on the occasion of a deceased monarch's ''

Castrum doloris Castrum doloris (Latin for ''castle of grief'') is a name for the structure and decorations sheltering or accompanying the catafalque or bier that signify the prestige or high estate of the deceased. A ''castrum doloris'' might feature an elabora ...

'' ('camp of woe') where the crown is placed on the coffin, the other regalia laid at casket's foot, and the casket surrounded by the three lions. The lions were formerly also displayed in Parliament during the annual opening session, but this tradition was discontinued almost 100 years ago. They were also displayed before the throne in the throne room of

Christiansborg Palace Christiansborg Palace ( da, Christiansborg Slot; ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament ('), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme ...

when the Danish kings granted audiences on particularly formal occasions. The ''crown jewels'' refer to four sets (

parure A parure () is a set of various items of matching jewelry, which rose to popularity in early 19th-century Europe. Terminology A parure typically consists of a combination of a matching necklace, earrings, brooch, bracelet and often a diadem or t ...

s) of jewellery owned by the state for an incumbent queen and is still worn by the

Queen of Denmark The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Kingdom of Denmark was ...

. The royal regalia, which symbolised the monarch's authority to rule, includes the crown of King Christian IV, which is a fine example of Renaissance guildwork, the better known crown of King Christian V and a smaller crown for the king's consort. The Royal Collection has other important items and jewels, as well as precious prayer-books, and items belonging to the

Order of the Elephant The Order of the Elephant ( da, Elefantordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry and is Denmark's highest-ranked honour. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional ...

and the

Order of the Dannebrog The Order of the Dannebrog ( da, Dannebrogordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry instituted in 1671 by Christian V. Until 1808, membership in the order was limited to fifty members of noble or royal rank, who formed a single class known ...

(such as the large diamond and pearl star of the Order of the Elephant worn on the coronation mantle).

The old regalia

The term ''old regalia'' is used to describe the crown regalia used prior to the introduction of absolute monarchy in 1660.

The crown of Christian IV

The crown was fashioned by Dirich Fyring (1580-1603) at

Odense Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (behind Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2022, the city proper had a population of 180,863 while Odense Municipality had a population of 2 ...

assisted by the

Nuremberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...

goldsmith Corvinianus Saur during the years 1595-1596 for the coronation of

. It is made of gold, enamel, table cut gemstones and pearls and weighs 2895 g. The circlet is ornamented with six sets of table cut diamonds between two large round pearls with enameled

putti A putto (; plural putti ) is a figure in a work of art depicted as a chubby male child, usually naked and sometimes winged. Originally limited to profane passions in symbolism,Dempsey, Charles. ''Inventing the Renaissance Putto''. University of ...

on either side. Between each of these sets are star-like ornaments of triangular and square table cut diamonds. On the upper rim of the circlet are six large and six small

arabesque The arabesque is a form of artistic decoration consisting of "surface decorations based on rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils" or plain lines, often combined with other elements. Another definition is "Foli ...

-like points. At the center of each of the larger points is an enameled allegorical figure of one of the king's ruling functions and virtues. The three points above the king's forehead and behind each of his ears bears a " pelican in her piety." The point on the right of the king's forehead bears a representation of Fortitude riding a lion, while that on the left bears the image of

Justice Justice, in its broadest sense, is the principle that people receive that which they deserve, with the interpretation of what then constitutes "deserving" being impacted upon by numerous fields, with many differing viewpoints and perspective ...

as a woman holding a sword and a pair of scales. The point above the back of the king's neck bears the traditional image of

Charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * C ...

as a mother suckling her child. On the inside these points are decorated with the coats of arms of various regions of the realm. The six smaller points each bears a star-like design in triangular and square table diamonds with a large pear shaped pearl at its top. Originally an open crown, in 1648 it was closed with arches and a

monde A ''monde'', meaning 'world' in French, is an orb located near the top of a crown. It represents, as the name suggests, the world that the monarch rules. It is the point at which a crown's half arches meet. It is usually topped off either w ...

and cross, but Christian V later removed these again, using the diamonds and gold from them in the making of his own crown. It was used for the last time at the 1648 coronation of Frederick III.

Christian III's sword of state

The sword of state of

was made in 1551 by Johann Siebe. It is made of gilded silver and decorated with enamel and table cut gemstones. Prior to the introduction of absolute monarchy, the sword was the first of the regalia presented to the king.

Christian IV's accolade sword

The sword was used for

accolade The accolade (also known as dubbing or adoubement) ( la, benedictio militis) was the central act in the rite of passage ceremonies conferring knighthood in the Middle Ages. From about 1852, the term ''accolade'' was used much more generally t ...

s and has a blue enamel grip decorated with diamonds.

The new regalia

The crown of Christian V

This crown is the official crown that was used for the anointments of Danish absolute monarchs until the end of absolutism in 1849. The first Danish absolute monarch Frederick III wanted his son and heir-apparent, the later

, to be in possession of the visible symbols of power at the moment he himself died and his son inherited the title. Therefore, he secretly commissioned several crown regalia, including a crown, to surround the anointing of the absolute monarchs with as much glory as possible. The crown was first used for the coronation of

and the last time for the coronation of

Christian VIII Christian VIII (18 September 1786 – 20 January 1848) was King of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, King of Norway in 1814. Christian Frederick was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick, a younger son of King Frederic ...

in 1840. Today the crown is used as a symbol of the monarchy and the state. Its only ceremonial use is when it is placed on the Castrum doloris of a deceased monarch. The crown is the visible sign of royal power and was made by the royal goldsmith

Paul Kurtz Paul Kurtz (December 21, 1925 – October 20, 2012) was an American scientific skeptic and secular humanist. He has been called "the father of secular humanism". He was Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Buff ...

in Copenhagen in the years 1670–1671. As the crown of the first absolute monarch it was made as a closed crown to look different than the open crowns of the elected kings, possibly inspired by the imperial

crown of Charlemagne The Crown of Charlemagne was a name given to the ancient coronation crown of Kings of the Franks, and later Kings of France after 1237. It was probably created as a simple circlet of four curved rectangular jewelled plates for Charles the Bald, ...

. The circlet of the crown is divided in four by two large sapphires, a flat one that can be traced back to

Frederick I Frederick I may refer to: * Frederick of Utrecht or Frederick I (815/16–834/38), Bishop of Utrecht. * Frederick I, Duke of Upper Lorraine (942–978) * Frederick I, Duke of Swabia (1050–1105) * Frederick I, Count of Zoll ...

at the forehead of the wearer (presumably a gift to his father,

Christian I Christian I (February 1426 – 21 May 1481) was a Scandinavian monarch under the Kalmar Union. He was king of Denmark (1448–1481), Norway (1450–1481) and Sweden (1457–1464). From 1460 to 1481, he was also duke of Schleswig (within Den ...

, from

Galeazzo Maria Sforza Galeazzo Maria Sforza (24 January 1444 – 26 December 1476) was the fifth Duke of Milan from 1466 until his assassination a decade later. He was notorious for being lustful, cruel, and tyrannical. He was born to Francesco Sforza, a popula ...

, the

Duke of Milan The following is a list of rulers of Milan from the 13th century to 1814, after which it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia by the Congress of Vienna. Before elevation to duchy Until 1259, Milan was a free commune that elec ...

in 1474) and a thicker one at the back of the head and by a

spinel Spinel () is the magnesium/aluminium member of the larger spinel group of minerals. It has the formula in the cubic crystal system. Its name comes from the Latin word , which means ''spine'' in reference to its pointed crystals. Properties S ...

at one side and a garnet at the other. The four curved segments of the circlet between these stones is decorated with volutes made of table cut diamonds. On the upper edge of the circlet are eight acanthus leaves, four larger and four smaller ones. These acanthus leaves are decorated with diamond-studded ribs. The front acanthus leaf is decorated with a large table cut diamond with Christian V's royal cypher visible behind it. Attached to the backs of each of these acanthus leaves by screws are narrow diamond-studded half arches that meet at the top of the crown to support a sky blue-enameled sphere (''

'') decorated with diamonds and with a diamond-studded cross on top. On the top of this cross is a

cabochon A cabochon (; ) is a gemstone that has been shaped and polished, as opposed to faceted. The resulting form is usually a convex (rounded) obverse with a flat reverse. Cabochon was the default method of preparing gemstones before gemstone cuttin ...

ruby. The crown weighs 2080 g.

The queen's crown

The queen-consort

Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (27 April 1650 – 27 March 1714) was Queen of Denmark and Norway by marriage to King Christian V. Although she did not have much political influence, she was a successful businesswoman in her many estates and pr ...

was not crowned and did not wear a crown either because she belonged to the reformed church and was thus not a member of the

Church of Denmark The Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark or National Church, sometimes called the Church of Denmark ( da, Folkekirken, literally: "The People's Church" or unofficially da, Den danske folkekirke, literally: "The Danish People's Church"; kl, ...

or because it was thought unnecessary to crown the queen since she had the right to wear any regalia through her marriage with the king. However all the following queens consorts of the absolute monarchs were crowned. Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, the queen of king Frederick IV, was crowned with a queen's crown made for her, which was also used by Frederick IV to crown her successor

Anna Sophie Reventlow Anne Sophie von Reventlow ( da, Anna Sophie; 16 April 1693 – 7 January 1743) was Queen of Denmark and Norway from 1721 to 1730 as the second wife of Frederick IV of Denmark and Norway. Early life Countess Anna Sophie von Reventlow was born in ...

. However, Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, the queen of king

Christian VI Christian VI (30 November 1699 – 6 August 1746) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746. The eldest surviving son of Frederick IV and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, he is considered one of Denmark-Norway's more anonymous kings, bu ...

, did not want to use the crown worn by her predecessor and had a new crown made by royal jeweler Frederik Fabritius (1683-1755) in 1731. This crown is made like that of Christian V but only taller and more slender. It is decorated with table cut diamonds that are assumed to come from the 1648 crown of Queen Sophie Amalie.

The Sceptre

The sceptre was made by an unknown Copenhagen goldsmith for the coronation of Frederick III in 1648. It is made of gold and ends in an elongated enameled knob at the bottom decorated with diamond-studded ribs and an enameled lily at the top with a royal crown above it.

Globus cruciger

The Globus cruciger symbolizes Christian world supremacy. It is a golden globe decorated with a band of enamel and diamonds. On top of this is a half-circle of enamel and diamonds. It is topped by a diamond-studded cross. It was made in Hamburg for the coronation of Frederick III in 1648.

Sword of state

The sword of state symbolizes the protecting, punishing and judging authority of the king. The sword was originally a wedding present from

to the 1643 wedding of Frederick III. It was used for the anointing of all absolute monarchs and probably also for the coronation of Frederick III. Its cross-guard and grip is decorated with gemstones. The scabbard has a diamond-studded

Chape Chape has had various meanings in English, but the predominant one is a protective fitting at the bottom of a scabbard or sheath for a sword or dagger (10 in the diagram). Historic blade weapons often had leather scabbards with metal fittings a ...

, is covered in red velvet and is decorated with the coats of arms of different parts of the realm. Above each coat of arms is a small diamond-studded crown.

Ampulla

The

ampulla An ampulla (; ) was, in Ancient Rome, a small round vessel, usually made of glass and with two handles, used for sacred purposes. The word is used of these in archaeology, and of later flasks, often handle-less and much flatter, for holy water or ...

, used to contain the anointing oil, is a gold cylinder and its lid enameled with a variety of flowers and studded with table cut diamonds made by an unknown Copenhagen goldsmith for the coronation of Frederick III in 1648.

References

External links

Rosenborg Castle. Official website with photosWebpage about the regalia at the official website of the Danish royal house
{{Crown jewels by country National symbols of Denmark Regalia State ritual and ceremonies Tourist attractions in Copenhagen Gold in Denmark